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00:00:01
Crossover Thursday x Daily Manchester United
24 Plays6 days ago
This is your Crossover Thursday, where we team up with the boys at Daily Manchester United to look ahead to this weekend's clash at Old Trafford. We analyse where Manchester United are going under Erik ten Hag, how Brentford may be able to hurt them at the weekend and which Bees players may sneak into a combined XI.
Host:
Kieran McGinley (Daily Manchester United)
Matt Wright (Daily Manchester United)
Daniel Toppin (Daily Brentford)
Instagram/X/TikTok: @gspnbrentford
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Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker
every club every day the global sports podcast network hello everyone and welcome to the crossover episode here on the daily manchester united and if you're listening on the daily brentford podcast don't be alarmed your dan's still here don't worry uh my name is keira mcgilly from the manchester united podcast and with me on the episode today i have matt right who's a new arrival at manchester united we've had a good transfer window uh how are you doing matt I'm good, you know, and actually it's going to sound strange coming from a United fan, but I'm quite positive about this weekend. ah We'll wear you down. Don't worry about that. Don't you worry, Dan. And also joining us from Brentford is ah Dan Toffin. Dan, welcome to you. ah Yeah, how are you? I'm all good to be here. I'll be there at the weekend, so I'm looking forward to it, to be honest. I think there's much less pressure on us than there is for you guys, so yeah, looking forward to it.
00:00:55
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, we'll get this started straight away. Get the intros out of the way. Seemingly, Brentford do as well. 60 seconds have passed, so that means Brentford have already scored. Dan, I mean, I so i guess because you're the guest, we'll hand over the reins to you if you've got burning questions for us at Manchester United. And I know there might be quite a few. I guess now's the time to unleash them. Well, I guess you must be asked the same things every other week. um Try us. I guessed and i guess we wrote a main thought from an outsider's perspective um regarding Man United is Where do you guys realistically see yourself go with the current manager in charge? Because I think probably the rest of the top six, if they had had the couple of seasons that Man United have had, even with the obviously you've won the FA Cup in between, I would have thought by now they would have pulled the trigger. And I was actually expecting it a couple of weeks ago. And then that would have made me less confident about this weekend. But where do you guys
00:01:54
Speaker
see it going and where do you see it ending? right well Go on Matt, I'll let you go first. all right i'm Isn't that the question? If you ask any United fan they'll give you a different answer. um I kind of wish the international break didn't happen. I feel like if we'd just gone straight into this Brentford game,
00:02:15
Speaker
and we probably would have an idea of 10 hogs in or out. I think we would have got a decision. I think it would have been a bigger game than it is now. I think the break kind of gives a little bit of an ease of pressure so he can kind of say, well, you know, some of the players are international duties, tiredness, there's excuses. I think because of that international break, he's he's got that. But in terms of 10 hogs, I've always backed him.
00:02:39
Speaker
You know, I think we've got a bit of small minds mentality. Sometimes as football fans, we only look at what's recent. This is a man. He's won titles. I actually know he bought built two brilliant ah teams, full of youth. And that got to, you know, Champions League semi-final. So he won two trophies. He's not a bad manager. And one of the eternal questions we've had as United fans is, well, who is it? Is the manager or is it the players? And I think still for me, it's a state of confusion. I still don't know for sure.
00:03:09
Speaker
Tenhag has his issues, definitely. But can we say that the players are really playing for him? So from my point of view, I think he's still got a bit of time. I think Ineos have invested so much. You're bringing in another manager. What are you doing with all those players? Well, the manager comes in and goes, you know what? I don't want basically this Dutch squad. I want to replace it with my own. Where do you go from there? So I think he's got time. And this United squad is crazy. It can be the worst or it can be the best.
00:03:39
Speaker
And times like these, for some reason, we you know we come out on top sometimes. We just find a way to win and get back into some form. So for me, I think it's time for Tenog. I don't know. Well, seemingly there's no time for Alex Ferguson anymore because Sir Alex Ferguson stepped down from his ambassadorial duties from Manchester United. So if that doesn't sum up what's going on right now, I don't know what will. you know Someone who is Manchester United through and through as part of INEOS's cost cutting,
00:04:08
Speaker
Yeah, we'll get on to that. So Sir Alex Ferguson now has to step down or is stepping down as an ambassadorial ah duty. So it's it's bizarre. i've We spoke about it sort of in our pre-season ponderings that if there was a time to pull the trigger on Tenharg leaving the club or being sacked or however you want to dress it up, it would have been over the summer. Kind of how we look we've treated Dutch managers over the past couple of years, if they win an FA Cup, that's it. They're gone. Goodbye. But not Tenharg this time.
00:04:38
Speaker
If there was a time to pull the trigger, it would have been now now that Thomas Tuchel is ah going to be announced as England manager, has been announced as England manager. That's another one that sort of slipped through the fingers there. Probably would have been a ah decent short term signing to sort of kick the club back into shape. Probably wouldn't have been the permanent signing because I imagine Tuchel is more of like a Mourinho signing. You bring him in to get the best at the current squad, but going forward, there's not quite the same you know ah built squad building mentality that you would normally have. I just think I think we're 14th now going into this recording day. It's not good. It's not good at all. We have scored five goals in the Premier League, I believe, which didn't Brentford manage to get five goals over a single game? last game. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. So I think he's got five already, hasn't he? Yeah, he's up there. Yeah, he's up there. So he's so he has scored as many goals as Manchester United in the Premier League so far this season. It's it's a little bit silly at this point. It's it's not great. It's not good looking. And the first England squad since 1976 not to contain a single Manchester United player. Now, that is because Coby Mainu withdrew from the squad during for injury reasons. But that's still
00:05:53
Speaker
That's nearly 50 years we've had a Manchester United player in. good Good and bad through all these years have made the England squad not this time. I think that's a worrying sign of how things are going and to be honest with you, I've said it before and I'll say it again, this is all mid-table mediocrity form at the moment.
00:06:12
Speaker
Can I just add something there? Because I know you're talking about Fergie. And I think it's interesting because it's the worst start we've had since 1989. And the manager then was Sir Alex Ferguson. And that's when he kind of won the FA Cup. And things started getting good. So we kind of forget that. And Fergie was in his fourth year. Can you imagine fourth year having the worst start? And I think they finished 13 for 14. That's wild. you know But we won the FA Cup and he got a chance. So it's interesting just how times have changed and how we kind of see things now. and you know maybe we talk about Fergie, but you go, you know, and i probably maybe it just needs a bit more, but you're absolutely right in in what you're saying. And I think the England issue, like I'm not a big fan. I put club before country generally, you know, international breaks bore the hell out of me. You know, I just want to get back to the proper football. And for me, not having the United players in international teams means no injuries. And at the moment, we've got so many injuries. So as much as it breaks the record, I'm like, you know what?
00:07:10
Speaker
I'm quite happy to come back and say, all right, our English lads, they fit to play. They fit for Brentford. And I like that. Yeah. It's an interesting one, but you got the one question, Dan. So I hope you were happy with all of your answers. That's all you got. Yeah. Time's up. Time's up. I mean, I guess based on what you said, I understand that obviously your players are still objectively good Premier League players and there will be certain games where, you know, enough of them turn up and you'll get a result. I think just from the outside,
00:07:40
Speaker
more the concern is like even other clubs such as Tottenham, who aren't doing so well at the moment, at least they have like a style and a direction that you can see the man just trying to take them in. And I think that's often the criticism about Manchester United that no one really knows what that is and how it all fits together and where it's going. And obviously he's been there longer than Postock Ogloo, for example, Spurs. So it's an even slaughter Liverpool, obviously after just a few weeks. So it's just, I guess,
00:08:11
Speaker
difficult to see where you're heading. But the Madden chat worries me a bit because I know Thomas Frank was potentially in the frame when you were exploring options in the summer. So I'd rather you keep 10 hard, to be honest. Come on, Dan. you know You know not to read the press. Who isn't linked with Manchester United? You know better than this, Dan. You know better than us, that's for sure. um Well, we're going to take a short break. When we come back, we get to have the reverse fixture. It's Manchester United asking Brentford all of the questions. We'll be back after this. Every club.
00:08:43
Speaker
sports podcast network work Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform and Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all of those ums and r's, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. So if you're ready to tell your story, make sure you check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster.
00:09:13
Speaker
Every club. Every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network. work look Well, at the moment, it's not quite high-flying, Brentford, but it's certainly quick-starting, Brentford. And Brian Embuemo, who's got himself five goals so far this season, how have you found it so far down? Because it's been you've you've managed to score early, but not hang on to those results. It's been good. I mean, that the first first couple of times we did it, the first time we did it was a away at the Etihad against Manchester City. So I don't think we can be blamed too much for not holding on to that one. I think the regret that we have there is we actually dominated the open in 20 or 30 minutes and should have been two or three nil up. And to get a result there, we probably needed to be because obviously Harlan then came up with a couple of goals and obviously that that really ruined that plan. But a week after we had Tottenham away again, it's perhaps forgivable
00:10:09
Speaker
you know, Tottenham away for us is still one of the more difficult fixes you'll have. I think what we've seen this season is perhaps a slight new change in style, particularly against the top teams traditionally. And we've had some success doing it. We've set up in a about five. We've sat behind the ball and we've been very predominantly ah defensive and gone long to perhaps someone like Ivan Tony. who Obviously we don't have any more. Now we have been trying to go at these teams a bit more. We've been trying to high press. We've been trying to play out from the back.
00:10:37
Speaker
that does result in a few more mistakes and it does result in, you know, we have to be perfect if we're going to be able to do that for 90 minutes, particularly against the top teams. But I think having been in the Premier League for the time length that we have been now, I think we're good enough to start to play that way and still get some results. um I mean, so far, our three away games have been Liverpool, City and Tottenham. And they're the only three games that we've lost. So I think looking at from that,
00:11:04
Speaker
that respect and obviously considering that we've won three of the four home games and we've got a very good home record I think it's been a very good start and we've got the points that you can expect us to get really. i was going to say oh sorry man i'm just goingnna slip in there yeah go yeah go for yeah 13 goals scored, 13 goals against. I guess you're not missing Ivan Tony that much there Dan but what is it that's sort of the missing piece that can help you achieve top half? I guess the result against us will be halfway there won't it? Yeah I mean already we're looking up rather than over our shoulder like we did last season, obviously the season before that where it's only a point outside of the European places so we have
00:11:46
Speaker
looked up in the past and it's nice to look up for a club like Brentford. It's not too much pressure on it, but it's just nice to see what, see where it can take us. I think if we can keep going how we have been, we've got every chance because like I said, the games that we've lost to get, you know, some of the most difficult games we'll have all season and they're out of the way now. ah I think it would be nice to get obviously a result against one of the big boys. And at the moment with all respect, I think Manchester United is probably the more favorable of of the bigger teams that we could want to play at the moment. And suddenly yeah, I think, I think there's every, every chance that we can. And obviously we've got a more favorable fix to list after you guys. And hopefully we can push on. I think injuries has been a big thing. We got so many players out injured at the moment. And if we can still be in a similar kind of mid table position when they're back, then it will be exciting to see what the second half of the season can hold.
00:12:42
Speaker
I think both back lines actually suffered a bit with injuries, haven't they? And I think we heard the other day, but essentially Johnny Evans playing left back, which I think is the most insane thing I've heard all week. I hope that doesn't happen. Um, obviously again, uh, and where am I? You don't really want that matchup, you know? So I think almost both teams are in a kind of similar state of we've got a lot of injuries. Both kind of are weak, I would say against the counter attack.
00:13:10
Speaker
you guys press so high and fast and counter-attack so brilliantly. But what I've been watching in the last couple of games is people are doing you on the counter as well. Is that where you're a little bit that actually your own style is against you? I know you say you've you changed it a bit, but like it's already been said, you know, 13 goals against you, that's putting you into like relegation form in terms of goals against. For us, we've we've got like, what, five goals. Yeah, but we've not, we've only conceded eight, which is the same in Man City. And we can say, well,
00:13:38
Speaker
six of those were from Liverpool and Tottenham. So what makes you think that you will be able to outscore our defence? And there won't be like you've probably seen before, we usually win from a moment against you guys. We are quite jammy. You know, our home form is really good against you. But usually what happens is we're absolutely shocking and they'll be like a worldie. Marcus Rashford will do it. And I know Fleckin as well has taken quite a lot of shots from long distance. I think he's taken most shots actually in the Premier League as a keeper from long distance. And you just think one of those might just go in. That's all Marcus Rashford can do at the moment. He's a bit hit and hope. I'm not a big fan, to be honest. They're all going actually there, but that's his game at the moment. What makes you think, you know what? We can survive that from United. It's not going to be a moment and they're going to win it. And we're actually not going to concede.
00:14:28
Speaker
I think Thomas Frank is still one of the more adaptable managers in the Premier League. I don't think we'll see exactly the same setup as the last game when we beat Wolves 5-3, which is a bit of a crazy game. I think we were definitely the better team. We definitely deserve to win. um But obviously we we could afford to do that against Wolves because we were confident that we could ultimately just score more than them. I think against United,
00:14:51
Speaker
It will be kind of a hybrid back five, but the left wing back will probably be an attacker who, when we've got the ball, will try and link up with the front two, essentially. um So I think we'll still be a little bit adaptable. I think some of the goals we've conceded, particularly against Spurs, away was they had such a really good press, essentially, when we were trying to pay out from the back. Again, I'm not sure your guys will be necessarily as good. I don't know if pressing is necessarily as good. Are they up for it or the not? If they're not, absolutely. What's the point? You just pass the ball for us. That's it. Yeah, it does depend on United and what obviously version of them turns up. So we could make similar mistakes to that. That that could definitely happen. If you United turn up and their biggest players turn up, then of course you guys are the favourites.
00:15:42
Speaker
I think we can go into nothing to lose and we can try and be confident. And we can also think about what we can do to hurt you, considering obviously we've scored the goals we we have scored. It's all interesting here. I mean, I will, before we get into the combined 11, Dan, I'm going to ask you, score prediction, what do you reckon will happen? Yeah, I was there last year when we were 1-0 up with injury time, basically starting the Scott McTominay comes on and scores to Scrappy.
00:16:12
Speaker
I also remember the home game where we absolutely dominated and then you you guys took a 1-0 lead right at the end. But then we did equalise again with with seconds left. So I think our recent games have been very tight. I don't think you can ask to underestimate still the quality of the United team. I think we will allow things like not long shots. I think a lot of what we do defensively is like a percentage game. So we we are quite happy if you're shooting from you know quite far out because it has to be a very good effort to go in. I think you knowll we'll want to really minimise the big chances that you're able to create. I'm going to say maybe a high scoring draw.
00:16:52
Speaker
ah sort um I'll go to all, I think. I think maybe it will surprise you a little bit. I'll tell you what, Dan, I was thinking exactly the same thing. I was thinking it's going to be one of those games where, look, if Brentford score earlier game for the, what's it, sixth Premier League game in a row, if they do it against Manchester, it's five or six, I'm pretty sure. but It's ridiculous. And we've seen how vulnerable United have been whenever a goal is scored early against them to switch off. So if Brentford can get an early goal in 90 seconds, 120 seconds, whatever it may be for another time, then I can seriously see Brentford coming away with all three points. But I'm going to agree with you, Dan. I think we're going to have a good game on our hands. This is two teams that are looking for three points. And I think in doing so, it will be a draw. Matt, what do you reckon?
00:17:37
Speaker
I disagree. I've said I was feeling confident and I said we are quite jammy against you. Home form is good. You know, 10-hug needs the win. So it's just got that aura of something happening there. Like we say, you know, all we got to do is survive the first two minutes against you. And then if we can just handle the ball, keep the ball for a bit and look for that worthy moment, it's going to be a jammy goal. It's going to be a jammy goal. So I'm going 2-1. It's going to be one where Thomas Frank comes out and he rants again about United.
00:18:07
Speaker
I'm going to sit there going, I'll take that. The thing is, the thing is about that. Every time you score, we'll get a kickoff and you know, you know, against wolves. So we scored after a minute and a bit against wolves. And then after the tool goal, we scored within 30 seconds. So it's just not noticeable as much. Well, when you put it like that, Dan, that's worrying. That's very worrying um so just goes because you'll be giving us kickoffs.
00:18:36
Speaker
Don't concede on it because it might win the ball back off us. It works both ways. Well, OK, we've had our sort of questions from both sides. When we come back after this, we've got a combined 11 and goodness me, this is going to get feisty. Join us after this. Every club, every day. The Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:18:57
Speaker
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00:19:29
Speaker
the Global Sports Podcast Network. work work Right then, combined 11. Firstly, there's going to be a bit of a what'd youma call it a formation clash because I think Brentford played in a 4-3-3 the last time around they played, so um using the wings there. um I mean, Danzgard, Norcon and Janelt just looking in that midfield. I shouldn't be looking that and thinking that's a formidable midfield, but it does look pretty formidable.
00:19:55
Speaker
ah In terms of going forward nor guard scored in his last game, but we'll start at the back first We'll start in between the sticks. I'm gonna be biased and I'm gonna pick an honor And that's and that's that really Dan Eddie Eddie crawls to that No, I'll let you have that one. I think Flecken when he first came in was Not great the first half of last season. I think he was prone to a few errors I think we bought him in mainly for his ability with with like passing the ball out from the back from his feet So see David rare was so good at that before him Second half of last season, he really came into his own and he started this season again really well. um But I think maybe he just needs to show that for a bit longer before we're putting him in these sorts of teams. Matt, I'll come to you next. Onana or Flecken? Yeah, I've got to go with Onana. I mean, it's a weird conversation recently to be like, is Onana good now? You know, it's it's suddenly become that conversation. I think both Flecken and Onana, though, are capable of letting in goals where you go, you should have done better.
00:20:53
Speaker
I think maybe against Wolves there was a few there. I thought, hmm, should have done a bit better there. But I think Oh Nana was coming to a little bit of forum, you know, just feeling a bit more confident, making some really important saves. You know, the kind of saves that we used to rely on David Heyer to do. So that's nice to see. Distribution could need work, but he has got it in his locker and I think that kind of puts him ahead.
00:21:14
Speaker
Well there you go then. I think that's going to be the first thing we agree on all night because we get to the back four. This is a contentious issue for both sides here. um Matt's already mentioned about the news that Evans might be used at left back so with that in mind we need to pick a back four. I think Maguire will probably start and I don't think there's going to be too many crawls about that. It's just who will line up it alongside him. It's a case of if You have to have Evans at left back. I think it's probably going to go in the way of Christoph Iyer might be my choice at left back there with, um, Oh, dear me. I think McGuire and, uh, now you have, I have to pick between Ethan Pinnock and Nat Collins. That seems unfair. Are you going to help me out here, Dan? Well, this is, this is very interesting because everybody we're talking about our actual center back. So.
00:22:04
Speaker
The right back and the left back for Brentford at the weekend are actually centre backs because obviously we've been without Rico, Henry for so long and Aaron Icky too. um If we're going with centre backs, it's a weird one because this season Nathan Collins has been better than Pinnock, 100%. Nathan Collins has been one of our best players this season, but obviously historically, and for if you're going on the form for the last three or four seasons, then Ethan Pinnock's been by far our best defender. so It's interesting. I think Collins is a bit more comfortable playing out from the back. I think he's really coming into his own this season. He's quite a young player still. And last season, he was quite inconsistent. He was either really, really good or really quite bad. And this year, we've seen the really, really good side of him nearly week in, week out. So if we're going on this season, I'd have Nathan Collins in there, I think.
00:22:52
Speaker
Hmm, that's a good shout. Matt, what what are you thinking? I'm i'm definitely putting Dallow at right back because he is a full back, let's be honest. So I think he gets in the side. Yeah, I think the full back positions, I will concede anything at this point. You know, we've we've got no one. We've literally got Dallow. But the centre halves, though, I would be saying as long as Martinez is fair, I believe he is because I think he was playing the other day. Martinez, I mean, on paper, and he is on paper, that's a formidable partnership and ah just feel like when they get into the groove, they they're brilliant together. And I know we're not seeing too much, but they're special players. So I would pick those two and I've concede the full backs. I would, I would say Dallow because he's just so consistent more at this point where we're low in body. So, um, Dan, if you, if you want to argue one of the full backs or both full backs, I'm with you. I think ah right back,
00:23:46
Speaker
I think you can have Dallow. I think Vandenberg is very new. he We obviously signed in from Liverpool. Again, traditionally he's a centre back. He's done a decent job. Don't get me wrong, a right back. But I think Chris Iyer has been our better full back, even though he's also traditionally a centre back. But he will bum forward and he is being really quite comfortable on the left-hand side. And I wonder why we didn't do that last season, because we Rika Henry's been up for a very long time. We got regular on second half of last season.
00:24:15
Speaker
um to fill that void. But there was a period before we got him in that we didn't really know who to play left back. And I think we clearly worked on it in the summer. And Chris iah is doing a very, very good job there with with a bit of an issue with the center backs, because I don't even think 10 hard knows what the best Manchester United center back is. I mean, I saw his interview at the end of the last game where where he had dropped essentially, he said rotation for Martin Essendilich for Maguire and Evans, which seems quite wild to me. He's trying to get Evans a statue, mate, that's what's happening. Give him a few more debt games and he gets one built. He gets the performances in at left-back, he'll have that statue. He gets Villa at left-back, yeah, let's give it a yes. yeah i'll I'll help build it.
00:25:02
Speaker
Look, if he's just a full back, just defending and just staying back, then maybe. But, yeah, we might lose a bit of creativity down that left side. I think I'm <unk>m going to stick my neck on the line because I think Maguire is actually injured. I said Maguire. I think he's out with a muscle injury. So yeah that might put Martinez at the top of my list. I've been big i've been a fan of Delict, but I think right now it needs to be, you know, he's not had the greatest couple of games. I'm happy. Well, I'm not exactly happy with a back four of Evans, Martinez, I'm going to put Collins in there and I think Dallow, that's my back four. Yeah, all right, that's that's fine with me. I think... Oh, I'm happy we can see these ones. I mean, with Martinez, he's just so short. That's all that all I think about him. Nothing wrong with our short king. Come on now. He's a beast.
00:25:50
Speaker
Yeah, he is. He just needs to rein in on the intentional fouls a little bit and maybe stop kicking people. And neither of that, he'll be fine. He'll be fine. Right, let's move into the midfield then because this is where the differences start to lie in. Brentford went up against Wolves in a 4-3-3. United normally playing a 4-2-3-1. So this is where it might slightly differ. I suppose I would go with the 4-2-3-1. We've got Meinu who's out and he would have been my pick. We've got Ugate out. So I think in terms of Man United lining up, it's probably going to be Ericsson and maybe Casamiro. And, you know, Casamiro is a bit of ah a swear word at the moment around Manchester United because we
00:26:30
Speaker
we never really know what to make of him right now. he He had a good couple of games in this season so far but he's so far removed of his world-class ceiling that he had at Real Madrid and it's no wonder Real Madrid were happy to have 60 million off of this for Casimir when he's in his early 30s. So I still think Ericsson and Casimir is the best bet. I do think Norgar though I don't know. I think he very much goes under everyone's radars. I think he can be a very dangerous player. But can he work in a sort of deeper midfield role there, Dan, or does he have to be that box to box that the 4-3-3 demands? No, I think he can. I think he can. I think um there have been times this season, and especially the game before Wolves, where we did almost go in more of a 4-2-3-1 with Carvalho in like the number 10.
00:27:21
Speaker
So we we can do it. Um, I definitely would choose Norgard as well as the best cut, the best breadth of play to do that holding role. You know, it can do it as well, but I think you know, it's a bit more of a utility player. He can fulfill a number of roles in the team. Um, and I've always kind of said that we don't necessarily need you now starting every week, but he's a good player to have in the squad, but Norgard, I think, yeah, he's a captain. I think if if we, you can tell when he's not there, I think he just brings the stability to the side.
00:27:49
Speaker
He probably makes everyone else around him better as well. um And he can finish when he gets into the box like he did last week. He's not necessarily known for his goals, but you know it it was a great finish. And obviously, see that was his first game back as well from injury. And we definitely noticed a difference.
00:28:04
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. Matt, what what are you thinking here? Because I'm thinking Ericsson and Norguard, because that seems like a pretty formidable, deep-lying playmaking. They know each other, Danish. They do. but which You should be thanking us, Dan, because obviously Ericsson, ex-Brentford player, he'll be he'll fit in just fine. Yeah, just like two years ago, three years ago. Exactly, exactly. Matt, what what do you reckon? um Yeah, Norguard, definitely. I think we've just spent 60 million on Ugata, who sits on the bench and is now injured.
00:28:35
Speaker
I think we would kill for Norguard right now, so that's an easy pick. You're absolutely right with Casamiro. Who knows what happened? That first season, what a player. Unbelievable. And I just think those red cards, which I don't think were red cards, I think that played with his head a bit and he's just never been the same since. I think it's more psychological than anything with him. So I can't pick Casamiro. I think he's not press resistant anymore, but neither is Ericsson, let's be honest. And you guys are ruthless and I just, I fear,
00:29:08
Speaker
if Ericsson's there, but who else could we pick? You know, he's tidy on the ball. And I did say we need to keep the ball. So yeah, let's have the Danish connection in there. The Danish connection. I like it. It's a good name for a band, Matt. You should write that down. ah Right. So the wings then, this is going to be a good one, I think, because I'm, as a Manchester United fan, I'm putting the most straight in there.
00:29:33
Speaker
what a player he he is and and what a play he's evolved had to have to be in in terms of Ivan Tony's departure. You you must be delighted you have him, Dan. Yeah, he's getting better and better. His numbers each season improve. um you know He's right near the top of the goal scoring chart so far this season. you know He now takes penalties in the same way as Ivan Tony did, so he's obviously learned the technique. um the The only thing with him is, I guess,
00:30:00
Speaker
he's getting to the stage now where I can see him probably leaving maybe the end of the season if he keeps going um and I've always said I think someone like Liverpool when Salah goes I think he's probably perfect to go in there and grow into that role and I think he's slowly now becoming that level of player who probably is good enough to play for a top six team so yeah he's very comfortable being the main man I guess at Brentford now and I think he's got to be in the I agree. I agree. He has to be in there. Now, the only thing is he normally plays on the right wing, so I'd probably keep him there, which means I get to put Heuland up top because I think he's coming back now. Obviously he got a goal in Europe and he's, let's be fair, he's been hitting this, but to be honest with you, he's still a young striker. Hopefully he gets a couple of goals underneath him over the next coming games, builds that confidence. And I would put, yeah, Garnaccio, I would put Garnaccio on the left.
00:30:54
Speaker
I think he's done enough for me to prove that he needs to be starting games now instead of Rashford and it's a difficult one because Garnaccio has probably been our you know our jewel of the season so far and yet he's still in his early 20s still I don't think he's reached his peak just yet I think he's got a wealth of potential underneath him and if he can harness that he can really do some damage against some of these teams early on so and and then I'm going to have Fernando sit behind them because even though even though he's not had the greatest start to this season in the Premier League, you know, you still you still back him to have a game. I don't know whether it's blind faith or not. You can you can bring me straight back down to earth down if you really want to. But that's how I'm putting my front for Fernandez with him. Boom. Oh, go natural oil and hoyland up top. I think. Go on, go on, go on, Dan. I've done enough talking. All right. I think up front, we don't really have a striker at the moment because Diego's injured, who was brought into a place, Tony,
00:31:50
Speaker
and Wisser's injured. If Wisser was fit, I probably would have had him in there because he started this season on the same goal scoring form as Mboumo. I think he's always been better down the middle than he is on the left and now Tony's gone. It allows him to play down the middle. And if you look at his goals per minute, even in the last couple of seasons, it's right up there. It's right up there in terms of goals per 90 minutes because obviously he didn't always start back when Ivan Tony was around. so I would have him in there if he wasn't injured, but luckily for you, he's injured. ah on um On the left, um yeah, I agree on the left. I think um Keen Lewis Potter and Kevin Shada, who are kind of battling for that position, neither of them have really made it their own yet. They've all got qualities and you can see that they you know will can grow and get better, but they both have things that they need to add to their games in terms of goals and goal contributions. So I don't think any any of those two are quite there yet. I think
00:32:45
Speaker
It's difficult because obviously Bruno Fernandes is Bruno Fernandes, but I don't think he's had a great season necessarily. I think Dam's guard, along with Collins, Annam Boomer, have probably been our best free players this season. And it's why we don't miss Jenson, who would normally be the third player in the midfield. Dam's guard, obviously, he had that Euros a few years ago where he kind of burst onto the scene. He scored that free kick against England in the semifinal or whatever it was. He got really badly injured after that.
00:33:13
Speaker
Initially he was linked with teams like Barcelona, then he was out for a year or so. Then obviously he signed for Brentford. It took him a long time to get going. I think he was still struggling with the after effects of the injury, you know adapting to the Premier League. It took him a real long time to get going, but now we're really seeing everything good we do almost comes through him in some sort of form in the midfield. um And he's starting to add goal contributions now.
00:33:37
Speaker
I think he got two assists last time out against Wolves. He scored his first goal in the cup. We're still waiting for him to score in the league, but I think it's coming. And I think he's really now starting to hit, you know, a territory where he can be considered probably in our best free players this season. Matt, I'll let you finish off for the ah with the attack then. Have the final say, go on, do us proud. I'm going to agree with you. I think Embroro, Hoyland, Gonaccio, Bruno, and just, I get the dams guard thing, I really do. but in those two entire teams, there's only one world-class player and that is Bruno Fernandez. So for me, even out of form, he still has to be in that side because he makes things happen. I always feel, and I think he said in his own interviews, it's really about the players around him. And he did drop a minute this week when he said that, you know, and I just think he's capable of making things happen. It's just up to the other players to finish it off.
00:34:38
Speaker
And Hoyland, he can create things out of nothing and he has to because our players don't pass to him. But if for some reason we pass to him, that kid can score. And I think it's a, you know, I'm glad we didn't say Rashford. I think gone out shows really solidified his place there. He's dying for the team. Every time he plays, he's dying on the pitch and he's creating things and he's going forward. So it has to be him. And I think it's obvious in the form he's in, he's, he's on droppable. And I think as much as a love I'm had,
00:35:09
Speaker
He's a young kid, he's not really putting up the numbers. He's crushing it, isn't he really? Let's just be honest. So easy picks. Easy picks and that was the easiest pick of them, all the attackers really. Matt, Dan, thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today. Make sure you check out the Daily Brentford podcast as well. Dan over there is doing a solid job and I'm sure Brentford will give us a good game. You've heard it from here. We predict a draw. Well, let's see. Let's see what happens. Matt, Dan, thank you so much for joining us here. And for the rest of you at home, make sure you have a great rest of the day and we'll see you soon. Take care and bye bye. Every club.
00:35:49
Speaker
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